We can only view the colorful world through our own eyes. This makes it easy to assume that everyone perceives colors the same way. It’s hard to imagine that some people may see colors differently or have different feelings about individual colors than you do. Yet, that may be the case.
Vision and perception can be unique to each of us, so does that mean that colors appear differently depending on who’s looking at them?
How Do We Perceive Colors?
Inside our eyes, we have photoreceptors called cones and rods. Rods help us see in low-light conditions while cones allow us to perceive the many colors of the world when light is present.
The visible light spectrum includes a range of wavelengths from violet (short, frequent wavelengths) to red (long, less frequent wavelengths). When light shines on an object, certain wavelengths are absorbed into the object while others reflect off it. Our eyes see the wavelengths that are bouncing off objects toward us.
For example, if light is shining on a yellow banana, all color wavelengths get absorbed except the yellow wavelengths, which reflect. So, the banana looks yellow to us. The object’s properties determine what colors we see it as, and the photoreceptors in our eyes perceive the color of the reflecting wavelengths.
Color perception seems fairly straightforward. Yet, has there ever been a time when you and someone else couldn’t agree on the color of an object? For example, when the viral black and blue dress appeared white and gold to some people, there were many disagreements about the colors. Some people simply perceived the colors differently in the context of the photo. Situations like that lead many people to wonder just how different each person’s color perception is.
Do People Really See Colors Differently?
When you look at something blue, is your blue the same as someone else’s blue? It seems like it should be. After all, the color of an object is determined by which light wavelengths reflect off it. However, research suggests that even though it’s the same wavelength for everyone, it might not look identical in everyone’s eyes.
There’s a good chance that colors appear differently to different people. Maybe something that appears red to you might seem blue to someone else, even though you both call it red. This can happen in rare cases of color vision deficiency or synesthesia. Or maybe there’s only a slight variation, such as certain colors appearing more vibrant to someone else than they do to you. There’s still a lot of research that needs to be done on how different people perceive colors, but there are some explanations as to why differing perceptions are likely.
Why Does This Occur?
A major reason many researchers believe we see colors differently is that the ratio and sensitivity of the cone cells in the human eye can vary. Humans have three types of cones, and each is sensitive to different wavelengths of light (red, green, and blue). However, the number and distribution of these cone types can vary from person to person, which affects how we perceive colors. Some people with color vision deficiencies may have only two types of cones (affects about 8% of men and a very small percentage of women).
With so many small changes in our photoreceptors, there’s a good chance that there are variations in how we see colors. Other factors can play a role in how colors appear, such as sex, ethnicity, location, and languages spoken. For example, women are generally better at distinguishing colors than men are.
Sometimes, our brains also fill in what color an object is “supposed to be.” When we turn off the lights, the rods in our eyes help us see in low-light conditions. However, they allow us to see shades of gray rather than a full range of colors. We can’t see colors when no light is reflecting off objects. Even so, we often think we’re seeing colors because we’re using our memory and color associations to perceive what colors the objects are. This proves that our brains play a bigger role in color perception than they might seem.
How Studies Reveal Differences in Color Perception
There have been a variety of studies to see how color perception varies among individuals. While these studies have proven that people of different sexes, ages, and backgrounds may see colors differently, it’s still unclear exactly why color perception differs or how distinct one person’s color vision is from another.
One of the studies focused on sorting colors. Participants were given a variety of colored tiles and asked to sort them with no specific instructions. Most people sorted the colors in a predictable way, but not everyone’s color patterns were identical. This could be because the colors look slightly different for each person, but it could also be due to certain environmental factors (BBC Earth Science, 2015).
Other studies related to this research involved people placing colors next to certain emotion terms and people perceiving different patterns of light. Again, the results varied for individuals, but some patterns occurred. While these tests didn’t answer every question about color perception, they further indicated that color vision might be less consistent than we once thought.
When “Red” Looks Different, but Means the Same
If two people see the same color differently, it’s unlikely that much will change in how they use or interpret it. For example, even if your red appears slightly different to someone else, you’ll both still call it “red.” Although the colors look different, they’ll likely evoke similar feelings and be used similarly in patterns because of how that color has been perceived over time. It might look different to someone else, but that color is still associated with the same objects and emotions, such as red being used for romance or warning signs.
Because of this, it’s tricky to tell how differently one color might appear to two people. A lot of color perception depends on our experiences and the associations we’ve formed with certain colors. So, two people will likely still treat one color the same, even if it looks slightly different to each of them.
Do We All Feel the Same About Color?
Every color is associated with certain feelings and symbolism. For example, red is often linked to passion and energy, while blue is associated with calmness and relaxation. While most people generally agree on how colors make them feel, those feelings can vary slightly from person to person. Oftentimes, this is due to personal experiences, different cultures and locations, and other external factors. We all experience the world in our own ways, so it makes sense that there would be some differences in the emotions associated with colors.
For example, if you grew up associating black with death, it will likely feel ominous and unsettling as you get older. In many cultures, people wear black to funerals to further cause that association. However, other cultures have different colors for death and mourning, such as white, red, or even purple. Growing up with specific color associations like that can shift how those hues make someone feel.
Color preferences can also influence how someone feels about a particular color. Even though blue is sometimes associated with sadness, people who love the color blue might always feel happy around it. Oftentimes, these preferences are caused by external factors, like loving blue because it’s the color of the ocean and the sky, but each person still has unique feelings when it comes to favorite colors.
Researchers Study Color Associations
A 2020 study looked at how people associate colors with feelings. The study included 4,598 people from 30 different countries to get a wide range of perspectives. As expected, there were some obvious patterns, such as the majority of people associating red with love (and 50% associating pink with love). However, some emotions were a bit more divided.
52% of people associated yellow with joy, which makes sense considering that yellow is known as a happy color. However, 44% of people associated orange with joy and 39% linked green with contentment. While orange and green can carry many meanings, they’re not always linked with happiness. It’s likely that the people surveyed had some positive associations in their lives related to orange or green in order for them to choose those as happy colors.
Overall, feelings related to colors are often shared among large groups of people. However, when choosing a color for an emotion, some people may prefer one color while others choose another. General color meanings are a great way to get an idea of how colors make people feel, but external factors cause everyone to have their own color perceptions.
Color Perception Is Unique for Everyone
There’s a lot of consistency in color perception, but some individuals may experience slight differences. Scientists believe that our color perception is unique from one another. Yet, there’s still a lot more to study when it comes to how one person sees and feels colors versus someone else.
Maybe your red doesn’t look anything like someone else’s red. Or perhaps someone simply sees colors a little differently because of their experiences. Color perception is a fascinating part of how we see the world, and it’s exciting to imagine what future research might uncover.
